Just Another Fairy Tale
by Iris Rain
Summary: ON HOLD. The Princess was kidnapped. In the middle of a crowded ballroom. It was embarrassing, I know, I know. The perpetrator? No one knows. As it was, the masquerade helped the perpetrator kidnap the Princess unsuspectingly. Now Prince Adrien has volunteered to help look for her. After all, the adventure was bound to be interesting. Fairy Tale AU
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir

Chapter 00: The Fairest of them All

Once upon a time, in a land where beautiful princesses, wicked witches, knights in shining armor and fire-breathing dragons are real, there lived a very beautiful princess. Her beauty was so great, people knew of her far and wide.

She had dazzling good looks. With hair of spun gold, eyes the color of the clear blue sea, lips a plush pink, she truly was a sight to behold. Her voice was as melodious as a Nightingale's and–

"I DON'T CARE! I TOLD YOU THAT I'M GOING TO WEAR THE WHITE WITH GOLD DRESS AND THAT'S FINAL!"

–unfortunately, she was also very, very, spoiled.

"But Princess, you specifically told us that you were going to wear this one and the white with gold one would still have to be prepared." A maid reasoned.

The Princess scowled at the poor maid. "And what did I just say? I. Don't. Care." With a flip of her golden hair, she spun around and walked off.

The maids she left behind all grumbled. Really, the Princess was so very unreasonable.

To the outsiders, the Princess acted all sweet and kind, but when she was at the castle, ooh boy. She was unbearable.

The maids really wanted a vacation right now. They were long overdue for one.

Sighing in resignation, they started preparing the dress that the Princess demanded to wear this evening.

.

.

.

.

.

A fairly young maid knocked on the Princess' door, holding the dress that Princess Chloé had been looking for.

Hearing the word 'Enter', she opened the door to the large, beautiful bedroom.

"What is it?" The Princess asked, irritation evident in her voice. The maid squeaked.

"T-the d-dress you re-requested f-for i-i-is he-here, your Royal Highness" she stuttered out.

Princess Chloé immediately looked up and a smile graced her features.

She snatched the dress from the young maid and held it up in front of her. Deeming it fine, she turned back to the maid.

"Get me in this dress, Now!" She ordered. The young maid frantically nodded her head and with shaking hands, she helped the Princess dress up.

Finished dressing up, the Princess walked towards the mirror and twirled. The dress was beautiful, and it made the already beautiful princess breathtaking and look almost otherworldly.

Smiling in satisfaction, she nodded her head. 'With this, no one would be able to take their eyes off of me.' She thought smugly.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir

Chapter 01: The Ride to the Masquerade

A handsome and finely suited blond teen sat inside the black sophisticated carriage that was being pulled by four obviously well cared for stallions.

Brilliant green eyes peered outside the window glumly. He really didn't want to go to the Masquerade. Sure, it was better than the normal balls due to the fact that he'd be masked, thus lessening the chances of anyone recognizing him, but it was still tedious all the same.

He sighed quietly. He just wished that he hadn't been born into royalty. He could care less for all the luxuries that being a royalty would entail. If he had to bare with always having a façade up, pretending to be perfect, and having to deal with politics, then he'd rather not be one.

It probably wouldn't be so bad if their family was a close, warm, loving one, but it wasn't. Not anymore.

He sighed once again. This time, though, his father called him, breaking him out of his reverie. Apparently, the cold man was already done talking to his brother. "Adrien" his father directly looked at him in the eye. Voice stern and emotionless, he said, "Remember to act accordingly and to make good political connections."

And despite the fact that no, he did not want to make connections, and no, he did not want to act all stiff and proper like his father and brother, he nodded his head in acquiescence.

Well, he internally shrugged, it's not like he doesn't act properly or accordingly any time of the day. And making connections, although often annoying and irritating, was something that already came easily to him, a product of years and years of practice and doing so. All in all, it was something normal to him.

He glanced at his father and brother. Both were sitting properly, faces devoid of any emotions and neither one of them were talking.

His father was, by nature, a quiet and stoic man. Not to say the man didn't love his family, because he did. Adrien could remember a time where the castle was filled with warmth and laughter. His father smiling freely and openly. Hugging the two brothers and playing with them occasionally with his wife in the gardens whenever he had the free time.

Unfortunately though, when their mother, the Queen, suddenly went missing and no traces of her were found, their father became cold to them. Until now, Adrien suspected that his father was still grieving the loss of his wife.

His brother, Felix, on the other hand, was a lot like their father in attitude. He was quiet and stoic most of the time, although, whenever they were alone, he was more open and they even indulge in playful banters at times.

Tearing his eyes from the two men, he once again peered out of the carriage, his eyes glazed over as he remembered happier times. Times filled with happiness. Times filled with warmth.

He wondered, would he ever experience those again?


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer : No, I don't own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir

Chapter 02: The Masquerade

The black carriage pulled to a halt, signaling their arrival to the castle. One by one, the three of them went out of the carriage and stepped on to the stone pavement.

Adrien surveyed the castle. It was a beautiful white palace with shining glass windows, marble tiles, spiralling pillars, curved arches, and flowering plants scattered here and there.

The three Agreste men entered the palace in silence. No one spoke and no one acknowledged the others' presence. It was already the norm for them to be that way. Sad, but true.

Once they reached the Masquerade, they all separated from one another. As Adrien lost sight of his brother, he made way to a quiet corner, pretending to be drinking a cup of...whatever it was that he took from the table earlier.

He idly watched the people dance. Dresses swished as the women and men danced to the music, their faces covered by beautiful intricate masks. Some even had peacock feathers as an added design to their costumes.

He himself also wore a mask (of course, this was, after all, a masquerade). His was a black one that complimented his attire that was largely made up of the color black. Cat ears were situated on top of his head and his blond hair was tied at his nape.

Scanning his surroundings, he noticed a golden haired teen who looked to be around the same age as him going near him. Her white with gold dress swished as she walked, matching the sway of her hips.

He wondered why she was going in his direction. Surely it wasn't because of him? He looked besides him. Nope, it was just him here. Great. He resisted the urge to sigh. He really didn't want to deal with anyone right now.

Stopping in front of him, the girl flipped open her fan and started to slowly fanning herself. "So, what's a handsome man like you doing here in this corner?" She asked, peering up at him with her lashes lowered.

He forced a smile on his face (he hoped it looked convincing). "Just...taking a rest." He replied. The unknown girl giggled. The sound high and a bit unpleasant to the ears.

She then grabbed his hands and started pulling him to the dancefloor. "Come on," she invited, "let's dance!"

Adrien called it a lost cause and allowed the female to drag him and dance. As they danced, Adrien took the time to examine his partner. She was attractive. Breathtaking, if he was being honest, although, there was something familiar about her.

He couldn't really place where he knew her but he knew that he does know her. He looked at her calculatingly. It was a bit frustrating. It was as if it just was on the edge of his mind but couldn't remember for the life of him.

He internally sighed. Well, no use beating ones self over something like that. As they danced, however, something caught Adrien's eye.

It was a man. He wore a hooded cloak and a violet butterfly shaped mask. The man smirked at him. Taken aback, he noticed that the man had already vanished in the sea of people.

He narrowed his eyes. Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong. He ignored his partner's chatters (he really haven't felt the need to listen to her. After all, she just kept on nattering about herself. If there was something else he noticed about her, it was that she was self absorbed.) and instead, he scanned the people around him.

There was nothing else amiss. People danced around them. Some were chatting quietly by the sides and some couples were even sneaking off into the gardens. So, what else was wrong?

He had a baaad feeling about this.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Chapter 03: The Beginning of the Adventure

Adrien was right about his feeling. Because not a few moments later, his partner, whom he was now able to identify as the Princess Chloé, due to her father's panicking, was kidnapped by the man with the butterfly mask.

Now, how in the world did someone been able to kidnap a person in a crowded ballroom you ask? Well, the man had a fire-breathing dragon! After taking the Princess, the man rode on the dragon and they flew away to some unknown place.

It was embarrassing to admit, but he wasn't able to stop the Princess from being kidnapped despite being the one nearest her at the time. Remembering about it made him feel guilty all over again. He might not have liked the Princess all that much due to her self-absorbed personality, but he should have still been able to do something to help her!

The people that were once dancing happily immediately fled the palace in a flurry of panic after seeing the dragon. Meanwhile, his father stayed and was now conversing in some room in the castle with King Bourgeois, Chloé's father.

They were probably conversing about sending a rescue team for the Princess. His father, though admittedly a cold man, probably sympathized with the other man, knowing what it felt to lose someone close to his heart.

The door opened with a creaking sound, effectively breaking him from his musings. Turning his head, he found his brother walking towards him. "Felix." He greeted. Felix stopped in front of him. "Adrien." His brother nodded his head. "Father is calling for you." The stoic brother informed.

Adrien nodded his head. "I'll be there in a second." He told his brother. Felix made a sound of understanding before walking away. Hearing the door close, Adrien composed himself.

He wondered why his father was looking for him. He had a few ideas running through his head, but he couldn't just jump to conclusions.

Shaking his head, he shook off his thoughts and started walking towards the door.

Making King Gabriel Agreste wait for long isn't really a good idea. Making Kings in general wait isn't a good idea. Period.

.

.

.

.

.

Knocking on the door, Adrien then proceeded to enter. He was greeted by the sight of his father standing with his back turned from him. The fire from the hearth crackling and two empty cups sat on the glass table.

"You called for me, father?" Adrien asked, hesitancy clear in his voice. "Adrien." The man turned his head and gestured him in. Taking the invitation, Adrien stepped on the velvety red carpet of the floor and entered the room.

His father still stood with his back turned, but he had started talking. "King Bourgeois and I have been talking about the matters of his daughter's rescue. He is now talking to his knights about it as we speak."

The man then faced him. "I have offered some of our knights as an aid to his cause." Adrien's brows furrowed in confusion. Not really understanding where this was going. He understood the actions his father did but...why was he telling that to him?

"And since you were able to see the princess' kidnapper closer than the others," his father continued, "you will be joining the knights in rescuing the Princess." Ah, so it was an opening for that statement. Adrien shrugged internally. Well, he was already planning on helping to rescue the Princess. This just gave him another reason to do so.

He nodded his head and said, "Yes, father." Moving to go back, he stopped. "Would I be going alone, or would someone be accompanying me?" The Prince asked.

His father instantly replied, as if the question asked already has a given answer. "Of course someone would be accompanying you. Two of our knights would be with you in this trip."

This was it. He can't fail in this. Days without surveillance. Days with no restrictions. Days with freedom! He cannot let the opportunity slip between his hands! Was he sounding like he was only doing this for his self-interest? Yeah, it is sounding like that. Admittedly, that is part of his reason of doing this. But it's only a small part! Honest! It's just a smidgen and the Princess' well-being is a big part. Really!

Anyway, on to the matter at hand. "Father," Adrien started, "May I request to go look for the Princess alone?"

His father's brows shot up in surprise. He probably wasn't expecting that. "I mean, it would be better if more people are looking for the Princess and it would be faster. I could take care of myself just fine and well, I think it would be better if I go alone and all that." He was rambling. He knows, he knows. He can't help it though! Ugh, his father probably won't approve of it. He wasn't convincing at all.

His father didn't say a word. The atmosphere was so tense that you could probably cut through it with a knife. He internally screamed. The silence was killing him! He closed his eyes shut. After another beat, his father spoke, "...alright."

Adrien's eyes shot open in surprise. What. Did he hear right? Did he actually hear his father agree? Did his father, King Gabriel -the-ever-strict-and-paranoid- Agreste, actually agree?! Oh, he was dreaming, wasn't he? That must be it! That could be the only explanation!

It still wasn't sinking in and his father was already continuing. "It would be a good experience for you and you can handle yourself well." Did his father just compliment him?! This was really just a dream wasn't it?! There is no way this can be happening! He just can't believe it!

"Very well, Adrien. You may go. Tomorrow you will be off first thing in the morning." His father finished. Dismissing him already.

"Y-yes, father! Thank you!" He replied before turning his back and walking out the door, still not being able to believe the events that has just happened.

Well, he'd better prepare for his adventure, then! But first, he should let it all sink in.

.

.

.

.

.

Extra:

Meanwhile,

"Release me at once, you filthy disgusting peasant! Don't you know who my father is?! Just you wait! Daaaaadddyyyy!" Chloé shrieked. The Princess was tied securely by thick ropes and was currently sitting on the ridged back of the dragon.

The hooded man let out a groan. After this trip was over, he was sure he wouldn't be able to hear a thing. The Princess' shrieks were ear-splitting and not exactly something one would want to hear.

He sighed. He was too old for these things. Why did he kidnapped the Princess again? Oh yeah, for his grand evil scheme that he can't say anything about yet.

The Princess let out another ear shattering shriek and he sighed. He should have remembered to bring a gag for her mouth. Next time he was kidnapping another Princess, the first thing he would bring is the mouth gag.

"Daaaaaddddyyy!"

He sighed. This was going to be a looong trip.


	5. Chapter 5

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who have been reading this. Really, it means a lot to me that people are actually reading this. As I've said in my profile, this is my first time writing. And seeing people favorite and/or follow this...gosh, I'm really happy. I would also like to thank Scarlet Moon for the review. You guys really made my day. (Although, I'm kinda scared now that this story won't meet the expectations) Anyway, On to the story!

Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Chapter 04: Be Careful Of What You Wish For

Adrien walked down the castle halls swiftly. After returning back to their own castle, Adrien had fixed all the things that he needed for the quest. Unfortunately, he went to bed late. And now he had slept in! While he didn't really have any schedule to follow, if his father found out...he didn't want to know what would happen.

He strode down the halls even faster than before at the thought. No, he did not run. Running through the halls was something his father frowned upon and if his father found him running...well, the man would think that he still wasn't ready and he could kiss his few days of freedom good-bye.

So absorbed was he in his thoughts and worries, he didn't see the person standing with their back turned, causing him to crash into the person.

"Ouch..." Adrien looked at the person he crashed into. He was greeted by the sight of his best friend sitting on the floor with him. "Nino!" The Prince immediately stood up and helped the musician up. "I'm so sorry! I didn't see you and-" Nino held a hand up to stop him from his rambling.

"It's alright, Prince Adrien." The other male said, grinning at his friend. Adrien playfully glared at him. The musician knew that calling him by his title annoyed him and often did it to tease the other.

"What's the hurry, though?" Nino asked, one of his brows raised in a questioning manner. Adrien laughed sheepishly. "Well, I actually slept in. I'm going to be helping in the search for the Princess and I was supposed to depart this morning."

Understanding dawned on the musician. "Ah! I heard about that! The Princess was taken by a dragon, wasn't she? Why are you helping, though? Not that it's a bad thing or something."

Adrien smiled amusedly at his friend. "Yeah, actually, I was the one nearest the Princess at the time of her kidnapping." The Prince informed his friend.

Nino patted his friend on the shoulder sympathetically. "Good luck, bro. You're going to need it." Adrien laughed and thanked him. "Well, I gotta go! See you when you get back!" Nino waved good bye. Adrien shouted a good bye and watched his friend disappear down the twisting corridors.

He shook his head, well, no time for dilly dallying! He continued his walk in the same fast pace as before, this time though, he took care not to crash into anyone.

.

.

.

.

.

He was out! Out of that stifling castle! He breathed in what he called the "air of freedom" and grinned happily. Had anyone seen him at the time, they would've said that he was grinning like a loon. But fortunately for him, no one was.

His horse, a beautiful white stallion, trotted calmly as opposed to his excited master. The horse snorted amusedly, humans were so amusing at times.

Composing himself, Adrien reminded himself why he was out in the first place. He allowed his horse to trot and wander aimlessly as he began thinking of places where the butterfly man would have taken the Princess to.

He groaned. He knew how the kidnapper looked like, but he had absolutely no idea where he brought the Princess. Zilch. Nada. As in, none at all. He sighed.

"I wish that a dragon would just bring me to their den so that maybe I can find the butterfly man's dragon and follow it to their evil lair." He told his horse jokingly. What? He was not crazy, okay? Just because he was talking to a horse that was currently looking at him as if saying 'are you crazy?' Doesn't mean that he's crazy! Lots of people talk to themselves! Okay, he was getting a little off track here.

Now...the Princess! Where could she have been brought to? To some isolated tower? To another kingdom? Or could she be at the–

Suddenly, he heard a loud roar from behind him and his horse. Peering behind him, he saw a big, purple dragon flapping it's wings and...was it going towards his direction?!

"Oh no. Oh no no no no no!" The Prince panicked, urging his horse to run faster. "I WAS JUST JOKING!" He screamed, forcing his horse to run faster than ever. Unfortunately, the dragon was faster and had the advantage with it's giant wings.

With one big swoop, the dragon took hold of him and flew off towards the unknown.

.

.

.

.

.

The purple dragon dropped him and Adrien fell onto the rocky surface. He groaned. That hurt! Standing up, he brushed the dusts on his clothes off and he surveyed his surroundings.

The first thing he noticed was that he was in a high place. A veeerry high place. Honestly, he felt himself become a bit dizzy at the thought. Heights weren't so bad, but standing on top of a very high mountain? He didn't like the idea all that much.

The second thing he noticed was that there were a lot of dragons. Some were flying while some were sleeping on the rocky mountain. He shivered in fear. He did not want to be dragon food.

He surveyed the rocky terrain, searching for anyway to be able to get down without climbing down the edges. His eyes caught sight of a cave. Shrugging, he decided he had nothing to lose. He went inside the dark cave, hands firmly on his sword.

.

.

.

.

.

Extra:

The beautiful white horse stood there all alone. Really, the horse shook his head, humans. Didn't they know the saying 'Be careful of what you wish for'? Shaking his head at his master's unfortunate fate, he started to trot back to the palace. Oh well~ the Prince could handle himself. And if not? Well, poor him.


	6. Chapter 6

Hi! So ummm this chapter is going to be a bit serious and I'm not really sure if it's good or not. Anyway, I would like to thank fairytail lover11 and Guest-san for the review :) and since it was brought up, I would just like to inform that Marinette won't show up yet but I've already planned her and Adrien's meeting.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Chapter 05: Of Slimes and Stones

The Prince cautiously entered the dark cave. He surveyed the surroundings and found that the cave was spacious and had tunnels that were probably interconnected somehow.

Rocks lined the walls and there were boulders here and there. It was every bit like what you would expect for a cave to look like. Except, small blue lights floated inside the cave, illuminating the supposedly dark cave. It was a beautiful sight.

Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a small ball of fluff with big eyes hidden behind a boulder. Instead of looking creepy or weird, however, the ball of fluff, dare he say it, looked cute. And harmless. He didn't let his guard down though. Doing so would be stupid of him seeing as he has no idea of what it's capable of.

He started walking, his footsteps soft and light. He followed the tiny floating balls of blue light and it led him towards an intersection. He frowned. Left? Or right? Peering at the left, he spotted a moving slime creature. Nope. Not risking it.

Walking to the right path, he walked and walked. Never did he go towards the direction where he saw some slime creatures. Why? because he did not want to see what would happen if they spotted him.

However, it seems that evading the slimes so much wasn't such a good idea. Because it seems that he reached a dead end. The only upside in this was that there was a crate there and there was a chance that he could get some supplies.

He tried to pry the lid of the crate open and after a few minutes, he was able to finally open it. He heaved out a breath. Did the crate have to be shut so tightly? Pushing the lid off to the side, he peered in.

His brows furrowed in disappointment and he let out a frustrated sigh. Inside the crate were rocks. A pile of rocks. Ugh, why was his luck so bad?! Sighing, he decided to just let it be. No use getting frustrated over something like that.

He retracted his steps and continued on searching for a way out. Peering through tunnels to see if there were stairs of some kind, he found one tunnel in particular with a hole on the ground. He spied two slimes roaming that tunnel and thought to himself that, at least it weren't many.

He sneakily entered the tunnel, slicing the first slime into half without it noticing him. Fortunately, the slime creatures apparently dies when sliced. Unfortunately, the other slime noticed him. Making some glob blob sounds, the slime flung gooey substances at him.

He dodged and dodged the gooey stuffs but he still got hit by one. He stopped and tried to remove the sticky goo. That was all the distraction that the slime needed. The slime flung itself to Adrien who fell down to the ground due to the impact.

Adrien wrestled with the slime, "Get...Off..." He wheezed out, even though he knew that the slime wouldn't listen to him. He fought with the slime, still pinned down to the ground, with one hand as the other one slipped to his belt where he kept his sword and knife.

Grabbing the knife, he stabbed the slime and sliced it into half. The slime died, melting into a puddle of goo. Adrien stood up and tried to remove the goo from him and his clothes. Unfortunately, he was only partially successful.

Deeming it a lost cause, he started walking towards the hole. He looked down. Well, it wasn't that deep...should he? He hesitated. He looked around for a rope of some kind but found none. Looks like he has no choice. Taking a deep breath, he jumped.

.

.

.

.

.

He landed on the ground with a loud, resounding thud. He profusely thanked the fact that the tiny blue lights were in each and every part of the cave, thus ensuring that he had a constant source of light.

Standing up from his crouching position, he then continued on his way. This time, he decided to not avoid the slimes if he really needed to pass through a place. Not to say he didn't avoid the slimes, cause he did. Just not to the point of fleeing the place if he so much as catch a glimpse of the creatures.

As he passed by different twisting paths, glancing at each and every one of them, he reached a particular tunnel wherein the entrance was big. As in, really, really big! It was probably more than thrice his height! And considering that he's pretty tall...anyways, he'd best check it out. It might lead to an exit.

He quietly slipped inside the tunnel, hiding behind the unnaturally large boulders. Cautious of anything that might try to go after him. He peeked from his hiding spot and what he saw there made his eyes widen in shock. Because there, inside the large tunnel and blocking an exit, was a huge golem and a huge violet-pink slime like monster with three eyes.

"You've got to be kidding me!" He shouted in his shock. Really, why was his luck so bad?! The golem and the slime like monster turned their heads towards his direction. Oops. He shouted that, didn't he?

The monster started shooting violet goo at him while the golem pounded it's fist on the ground, causing it to shake. He wobbled at the shaking before trying to run...really, he had no idea where he was going, all he knew was that he had to get away. He slipped behind the giant boulders, using it to his advantage.

He ducked under one as a violet goo came at him. Peering to look, he immediately ducked back as he came to a close call, the violet goo splattering behind him.

He noticed that they didn't really move from their spot, as if they were guarding the exit. Spotting the space between the golem's legs, he immediately made a run for it. Dodging goo while trying not to be off balanced by the shaking of the floor was hard, but he can do this! He had to!

As he neared them, he quickly slid to the space and made a run for it as he escaped the two. He ran and he ran. The golem and the monster following closely behind him as he went down the spiralling path.

As he reached the end of the spiralling path, he saw an opening between the rocks. Light was streaming in from it. He nimbly and agilely slipped into the opening, running to the forest and leaving the rocky mountain. He heard the sound of a rock colliding with something, but not once did he look back.

.

.

.

.

.

Extra:

Up at the hole where Adrien jumped in...

The two puddles of slime started to mold back into a slime creature once again.

"Stupid humans..." One of the slimes muttered in slime speak. The other slime glared at him. "You shouldn't have attacked him like that!" It scolded. "We don't get a lot of visitors here and that's how you treat them?!"

Slime number 1 glared back. "Yeah, well, he sliced you! It was only self-defense!"

Slime number two huffed, well, as much as a slime can huff. "But you just gave him more reason to attack! If you just calmly talked to him–"

"Talk to him?" Slime#1 cut off. "Are you kidding me?!"

The two slimes argued back and forth, their voices loud. Meanwhile, all the other slimes groaned. "They're at it again." A slime said. "Wanna bet how long this argument will take?" Another one asked. The slime shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"


	7. Chapter 7

Hello, I apologize for the slow update. I've kinda been side tracked by Jdramas and wasn't able to continue it quickly. On another note, Marinette finally appears along with a few other characters. I would once again like to thank those who've favorited, followed, reviewed and read this story up until now. If there is something that should be corrected or improved, please tell me.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir

Chapter 06: Into the Forest

Adrien huffed and puffed. Stopping for a moment to catch his breath. He had been running for a long time now, running through bushes and whatnot. Logically, he knew that the golem and the monster stayed back there at the rocky mountain, but his irrational side screamed at him to get far far away.

He leaned against a tree. He looked like a mess! The slimy goo from earlier were still in his clothes but now there were leaves mixed there too. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. Adrien grimaced when he felt some twigs, leaves and some of the goo all tangled up in his hair.

The Prince pushed himself up from the tree bark he was leaning at and started walking again. As he walked, however, he heard the sound of rushing water. He immediately perked up at that. Finally! His luck was finally getting good! He rushed towards the sound and he bursted out to a clear river. The water was rippling, glittering under the sunlight and the rocks on the riverbed were all shiny and polished.

He tossed his sword, knife, and other things that he didn't dare get wet, off to the side and then dove into the shallow, clear water. Never minding the fact that his clothes would all get wet. He rinsed the goo and whatnot and stayed there for awhile, savoring the relaxing feeling of the cold water.

When he rose from the river, he did so reluctantly. However, he saw a small old man calmly sitting on the edges of the riverbed. The old man looked at him. Smiling, he patted the space next to him, motioning for the Prince to sit beside him.

The blond cautiously went towards the old man, not knowing if the elder was a friend or a foe. Hey, in this land, you can never dismiss someone as harmless even if they look the part. After all, this place was known to be filled with magic, and magical creatures also roam the place. You can never be too sure.

As he sat down, the old man handed him a silver comb. He looked at the old man questioningly. What was he supposed to do with it? The old man smiled again, this time though, in obvious amusement. He raised the hand that wore a green bracelet and made combing gestures.

Understanding dawned on the young Prince. He nodded in thanks and, though he really shouldn't just trust the elder, he combed his unruly hair. "Do you always bring this with you?" Adrien tentatively asked. At the corner of his eye, he saw the old man shake his head. "No, I just had a feeling to do so today." The elder replied cryptically. Adrien looked at him confusedly, but the other male gave no other answers.

Internally shrugging, he resumed combing his hair. After a few seconds, he finished. As he turned to where the old man sat, he gave his thanks, "Thank you for– the comb?" The statement that he had spoken was turned into a questioning one, because the spot where the old man sat was empty except for a brown sack with the opening tied with a rope.

He turned to the other side, searching for the old man that was there with him just a moment ago. However, he couldn't find any traces of him. It was as if he just vanished into thin air. It was odd. But it was something that he should have expected. This place was, as was said earlier, filled with magic.

He looked down at the intricate and beautiful silver comb before glancing at the brown sack. "Now what am I supposed to do with these?" He asked no one in particular. After all, who was there for him to talk to? Or ask? Anyway, as soon as he said those words, the comb gave a soft green glow and then suddenly morphed into a silver ring.

Oookaaaay...wasn't that just convenient? So was he supposed to just wear it? He really didn't know what it does but he had a feeling that he should wear it. Call it an instinct, if you will. So against all logical reasoning, he wore the ring.

He glanced back down at the sack. His eye caught a small parchment lying on the rock near it. However, all that was written in it were the words, 'Take it. You'll definitely need it.' Shrugging, he opened the sack to see a pile of cheese. And not just any cheese. It was the most stinkiest cheese he'd ever seen or smelt. He closed back the sack and placed it with all his other things.

After drying himself and his clothes, he picked up the sack and the things he tossed earlier and situated them back to their places. Tying his hair back, he slung the sack over his shoulder and continued walking through the magical forest.

.

.

.

.

.

His feet made crunching noises as he stepped on the leaves scattered on the ground. He had been walking for a few hours now and he felt like he wasn't making any progress. Wherever he went, it was all trees, trees, and more trees! It kinda was a miracle that he hadn't gone insane yet.

He looked at the tree beside him. Observing it, he noticed that the bark had scratches that formed a writing. He took a closer look and tried to decipher the words, but couldn't make either heads nor tails of it. Giving up, he just decided to continue on his way. It might not be important and he would be wasting time there when he should be looking for the Princess and a way out. And so, he started his wandering once again.

He trudge along the tree filled land. So far, he hadn't bumped into creatures that had the intention of harming him. Honestly, the only person, or creature, that he had met as of yet was the old man by the river. He should be feeling elated at that. But he really had this feeling that he shouldn't be celebrating that fact.

As he walked and walked, he noticed something from the corner of his eye. He turned to look at the tree next to him and he resisted the urge to bang his head. Why? Because it was the exact same tree that he had examined earlier.

The Prince threw his hands up in exasperation and stomped his right foot. Seriously! Why does he keep on getting himself into these kinds of situations?! "Ouch! Watch where you're stepping at, you stupid human!" A voice shouted. Surprised, Adrien jumped back and looked at the ground. There, laying on the forest floor, was a black cat-like creature that was the size of his palm.

He stood there, mouth agape, staring at the creature. He wondered if this was actually happening or if he had finally gone insane. There was an eighty percent chance that this was real and it can be supported and proven to be true by one word. Magic.

Suddenly, the cat-thing flew up. He flew around him, as if inspecting the blond Prince. "Hmmm...you smell like a human but you also reek of magic." The black cat said. "Why is that?" He asked the Prince.

At that moment, Adrien snapped back to reality and shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's because of the ring. Someone gave it to me earlier." The flying creature glared at him. "I know that that ring is magical. I can sense it. But I can also sense magic from you." The cat snapped.

Adrien shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't know. Really. As far as I know, I'm human and last I checked, I can't do magic." He told the creature honestly.

The cat-like creature stared at him before turning and flying away. "Whatever. It doesn't really concern me." He said as he floated away. Adrien quickly ran after him. "Wait!" He shouted. The flying fairy-cat stopped but didn't turn around. "Could you please lead me out of here?" He begged, causing the fairy-cat to turn to him. "What's in it for me?" He asked. "W-well..." Adrien racked his brain for something he can offer.

The Fairy-cat looked at him with impatient eyes. "I'll give you the ring!" The blond Prince blurted out. The cat rolled his eyes and said, "I don't need that nor want that." The Prince then remembered the sack of cheese that was still slung over his shoulder. Well, it was worth a shot, wasn't it?

"I have some cheese" he offered. The fairy-cat immediately perked up. Score! He definitely liked cheese! Adrien opened the sack and showed it to the fairy. The fairy-cat immediately floated towards him to take one, but Adrien swiftly closed the sack. "Ah, ah, ah! You have to lead me out of here first." He bribed.

The fairy grumbled before flying on top of his head and sitting down there. "Fine! Go forward, then take a left turn." He instructed the Prince as they went out of the enchanted part of the forest.

.

.

.

.

.

The fairy-cat and the Prince finally reached a place that the Prince hadn't seen before and Adrien felt like jumping and dancing in happiness. "My promised cheese" the fairy-cat, whose name he learned was Plagg, held out his tiny hands.

Adrien reached into the brown sack and pulled out one piece of cheese and handed it to the fairy. Plagg immediately latched onto the cheese and started nibbling on it on top of his head.

He trudged along the dirt path when he glimpsed something pink. Curious, he went towards the direction where he saw the pink. Pushing away some vines hanging on the trees and shrubs, he saw a house made of baked goods and candies. He remembered something about the house. Feeling like he heard about it before, but couldn't remember it.

The blond walked towards the house. Nearing it, he saw a black haired female by the window. He ran towards the house and quickly knocked on the door. By the third knock, the door latched open and he came face to face with a cute, petite, female.

"Ummm...excuse me but–" he was about to ask for some directions or clues about the butterfly man, but suddenly, his stomach rumbled in hunger. Adrien felt his face heat up in embarrassment. The girl smiled at him. "Hungry?" She asked in amusement. Adrien scratched the back of his head and nodded sheepishly.

The female opened the door wide and let him in. Adrien followed her in and sat down on the chair she gestured towards him. He watched as she disappeared to where he assumed was the kitchen. The blond Prince looked at the walls made of biscuits and chocolates and something in his mind clicked.

At the same moment, the girl entered once again carrying a tray filled with pastries. Adrien quickly stood up and pointed at her. "You're the witch who cooks and eats children!" He shouted, his eyes wide. Whether it was from surprise or fear, he didn't know.

The girl's former smiling face turned into a frown. "I am not! That was my grandmother, and she only did that once! She didn't even succeed!" She shouted back.

Oops. Adrien knew he had his bouts of tactlessness but this was bad. He actually accused someone of something they hadn't done when she had been nothing but polite since he met her.

The girl set down the tray and started pushing him towards the door. "Get out!" She ordered him. "Look, I'm sorry–" he tried to say, but the girl wasn't listening. They were already out of the house and on the grassy front of her house.

She continued venting and ranting at him, when suddenly, a dragon, one the Prince recognized as the butterfly man's dragon, swooped in and ate the house.

The girl ran after the dragon immediately, shouting and screaming at it. "Come back here! I've just finished making that house! Come back here!" Adrien swiftly ran after the female and grabbed her wrist.

The black haired girl stopped and turned towards him, trying to free her wrist from his grasp. "Look, I know who that dragon belongs to and I'm looking for him too. If we work together, we might find him faster and you can get your revenge on his dragon for eating your house." He said.

The girl stopped struggling and looked at him in the eye. "Why would I want to help you?" She asked him, her eyebrow raised in a questioning manner. Adrien sighed. "Look, I'm really sorry about earlier. I can be pretty tactless sometimes and I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry." The girl looked at him, hearing the sincerity in his voice.

She mulled over it. In one hand, she really didn't need to go there. She could just create another house. Going after the dragon was more trouble than it's worth. On another hand, she could see that the Prince before her is pretty sincere and in desperate need of help.

She might not have liked him for his outburst earlier, but she was someone who helps those who she can. She let out a long sigh. Nodding her head slowly, she agreed. The Prince's face brightened and he smiled at her brightly. Great. Just what did she get herself into?

.

.

.

.

.

Extra:

By the river...

The old man peeked up from a bush he was hiding in after the Prince had left. He stood up but then groaned in pain. "Oh my hips!" He moaned.

A turtle-like fairy flew towards him. His face formed in a disapproving manner. "Master, you shouldn't have exerted yourself. You didn't have to do that disappearing act." He said.

The old man turned towards the fairy. "Well, it was for the great exit. It had to be dramatic!" The old man reasoned. As the Prince had been combing his hair earlier, he swiftly crawled away to hide and left that bag of cheese in his place.

The Fairy frowned. "Master, you're old already. You shouldn't exert yourself. It's bad for you." The old man waved his hand. "I'm only 180! I can still do it." The old man then began walking away, all the while clutching his hips.

The turtle Fairy sighed. Reasoning with this man was just no use sometimes.


End file.
